State and local police descended on Leo’s Place in Fall River and his cafe by the same name in Fairhaven on Thursday, executed search warrants and left with computers, monitors and cardboard boxes filled with materials. The businesses were closed to customers during the raids.

“Based on a number of complaints that we have received, our office has begun an investigation into the facilitation of possible illegal gaming at facilities that claim to be ‘Internet cafes,’” said Harry Pierre, deputy press secretary for Attorney General Martha Coakley.

“Today’s actions are part of that investigation into the legality of three of these alleged gaming establishments located in Bristol and Hampden Counties,” Pierre said.

Leo’s Place, which opened on 440 Stafford Road July 31 in Fall River, followed by his Fairhaven outlet on Jan. 23, offers “online sweepstates” games that critics say take advantage of a loophole in the state’s gaming laws.

Cafe customers use computers to buy Internet time and “points” to play sweepstakes games of chance, which are largely unregulated throughout the country. Points that customers win playing the games can be turned in for cash.

“We don’t have any arrests right now,” Pierre said, a couple of hours after the raids. Pierre refused to comment about any pending arrests. “This is still an ongoing investigation,” he said.

He said the raids were “part of a wide-ranging investigation” into all similarly operated Internet cafes.

“They didn’t tell me to close. I just can’t run it without my gear,” said Pelletier, whose 27 years on the City Council is the longest stint ever.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “They should have made a determination a long time ago.”

Pelletier’s wife, Deb Pelletier, Government Center’s longtime receptionist, left her post early Thursday afternoon. A replacement worker was assigned.

At least 15 law enforcement officers were seen at Leo’s Place in Fall River on Thursday, telling would-be patrons the cafe was not open.

Leo’s Place patrons Ginny and Bob, who only provided their first names, returned to the site around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, only to be disappointed by its closure.

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“I hate to tell you, I just won $374 this morning,” Ginny said. She said she left the cafe about 12:30 p.m. “I’m just sad they’re closed. It’s so close,” said the South End woman, who lives a half-mile away.

The husband and wife said they had heard of people winning $600 to $1,000.

Another patron, standing outside the closed business, scoffed at that amount. “I’ve never seen anybody bring in that. Forty dollars, maybe,” said the man, who said he liked to play a football game.

The man, who refused to provide his name, said he knew Pelletier by acquaintance. “Leo comes in, says hi. I don’t know him personally. It’s sad,” the man said.

Jennfier Mydlack, manager of Eblens clothing store in the same Seabra plaza on Stafford Road, described how “a bunch of state troopers parked right here, blocked off the front and rushed into the Internet cafe.”

That was about 1 p.m., said Mydlack, who regularly goes outside for a cigarette.

She said every 10 minutes or so a single or paired patron left the cafe after the police entered the premises.

She said mostly older people would go in and park their vehicles for long periods in front of her store. “It was not like a quick stop,” said the manager, saying she began her job before Christmas.

After Leo’s Place opened last summer, Pelletier’s partner in the enterprise tried to explain the difference between the cafe and illegal gambling. “It’s sweepstakes. It’s not slot machines,” said Linda Pelletier.

Controversies over them have cropped up in Florida, California, North Carolina and Utah.